Get to know the 2018 best push act nominees

There’s nothing better than discovering a new artist and instantly becoming obsessed with their music. Each year, the MTV EMA recognizes the breakout artists who made our ears feel alive again with the Best Push Act award. This award is no joke—past winners include Shawn Mendes, Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars.

If your daily playlist is feeling a little stale then maybe it’s time you get to know the rising stars who are contending for this year’s Best Push Act award.

Actress turned singer-songwriter Hayley Kiyoko got her start in music in 2007 when she joined the girl group The Stunners and toured with Justin Bieber. This year, which Hayley has perfectly dubbed 20gayteen, has been huge for her. She released her debut album, Expectations, in March, won the Best Push Artist award at the VMAs in August and became an indispensable queer voice in the pop world along the way.

Bazzi is an American singer-songwriter who released his debut album, Cosmic, in April. In an interview with MTV, Bazzi revealed that Drake is one of his biggest influences. He said, “[Drake] pushed me into the category of wanting to be truthful and vulnerable in my music.”

Chloe x Halle are a duo of sisters from Atlanta who write and produce their own dreamy R&B songs. Their career took off after Beyoncé discovered the sisters’ cover of “Pretty Hurts” on YouTube. From there, Chloe x Halle were signed to Beyoncé’s record label, opened for B on The Formation World Tour and even appeared in Lemonade. Their debut R&B album The Kids Are Alright was released this year.

Lil Xan is a young rapper from California who’s been making waves in the music world. From his face tats to his songs about dealing with addiction to his relationship with Noah Cyrus, Lil Xan keeps on giving us something to talk about. His debut album, Total Xanarchy, was released in April.

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PRETTYMUCH is a boy band known for their R&B sound, impressive dance moves and laidback style. Austin Porter, Brandon Arreaga, Nick Mara, Edwin Honoret and Zion Kuwonu joined forces in 2016 and, after a year of literally getting their act together, released their first single, “Would You Mind.”

Must-listen songs from PRETTYMUCH: Summer on You, Open Arms and No More featuring French Montana.

Jessie Reyez is a Colombian-Canadian singer-songwriter who keeps it real with honest, heartfelt lyrics. Her star has been on the rise since she released her first singles, “Shutter Island” and “Figures” in 2016.

Norwegian pop singer Sigrid has a unique sound that will give you chills. Sigrid’s fans love her for her candid lyrics, powerful voice and cool vibe. Sigrid has released two EPs so far; Don’t Kill My Vibe in 2017 and Raw in 2018

At 14 years old, Grace VanderWaal is one of the youngest singer-songwriters in the industry. She’s known for her ukulele playing skills, nearly perfect Britney Spears impression and also for winning America’s Got Talent. She released her debut album, Just the Beginning, in November of 2017.

Must-listen songs from Grace VanderWaal: Moonlight, I Don’t Know My Name, So Much More Than This

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Why Don’t We is another crush-worthy boy band making their way to the top this year. Daniel Seavey, Zach Herron, Corbyn Besson, Jonah Marais and Jack Avery formed Why Don’t We in 2016. After releasing two EPs, Why Don’t We released their debut album, 8 Letters, in August.

Jorja Smith is a 21-year-old British singer-songwriter who was inspired by Amy Winehouse and began writing music when she was 11 years old. Her enchanting voice caught the attention of both Drake and Kendrick Lamar who she now counts as collaborators. Jorja released her debut album Lost & Found in June.

Must-listen songs from Jorja: On My Mind, Where Did You Go and Get It Together

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Indie-pop band Superorganism makes synthy, feel-good music. The band’s eight members are from all over the world–the U.K., the U.S., Japan, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand. In 2017, they uploaded their first single, ‘Something For Your M.I.N.D.’ to SoundCloud and it quickly became a huge hit. Their self-titled debut album, Superorganism, was released in March.